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Your holiday break is a great opportunity to relax and spend time with your loved ones. And what better way to connect with family than vegging out while streaming some quality TV series on Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Go and Hulu?
If you missed 2016’s most-hyped shows, now’s the time to catch up. Here are some of our favorite new (or recently revived) series from the year.
‘Stranger Things’
Netflix
Where to watch: Netflix
Episodes: 8
Time spent bingeing: 6 hours, 37 minutes
Nothing happens in the small town of Hawkins; that is until people go missing and it all hits the fan. Part mystery, part supernatural suspense thriller with touch of horror, “Stranger Things” will keep you clicking on that next episode with few breaks in between. Plus, an awesome cast of kids and their frantic parents will have you rooting for the underdogs and waiting for the mysterious Eleven to show off her skills.
“Stranger Things” is a Netflix Original, which means that you can also now download shows to watch offline. Since the series is six and a half hours, it’s the perfect length for a cross-country flight home or trip overseas. Or just pull an all-nighter and finish it while your family sleeps, we won’t judge you.
Streaming hits (and misses) of 2016
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‘Luke Cage’
Myles Aronowitz/Netflix
Where to watch: Netflix
Episodes: 13
Time spent binging: 11 hours, 42 minutes
Netflix scored big when it aired “Daredevil” and “Jessica Jones,” now it’s back on the Marvel bandwagon with “Luke Cage.” We previously met Cage (played by Mike Colter) on “Jessica Jones” as the namesake’s love interest. (Read CNET’s interview with Colter here). So when word got out that the bulletproof superhero would get his own spinoff in which he kicks butt and takes names, we were pretty excited. But “Luke Cage” doesn’t feel like just another superhero series. It’s an authentic look at the rise of the everyday hero beyond cliches.
‘The Night Of’
Craig Blankenhorn/HBO
Where to watch: HBO Go
Episodes: 8
Time spent bingeing: 9 hours, 3 minutes
“The Night Of” tells the story of a young man caught at the wrong place at the wrong time. When Nasir Kahn is accused of murder, the people who know him best believe in his innocence, while others start treating him like a criminal. This suspenseful crime drama will keep you switching sides and questioning what really happened. Fans of the “Serial” podcast will find parallels between the two stories.
Don’t have HBO Go, but have Amazon Prime? Amazon Prime hosts content from HBO, which is available to Prime subscribers for an extra $15 a month, so you can bundle the two streaming services together.
‘Black Mirror’
David Dettmann/Netflix
Where to watch: Netflix
Episodes in 2016: 6
Time spent bingeing: 6 hours, 22 minutes
Although “Black Mirror” originally (and provocatively) launched in 2011 in the UK, Netflix has since bought the rights and has commissioned a new season for 2016. Thanks to the revamp, the show found a second life among a wider audience.
“Black Mirror” features a handful of standalone episodes that showcase dystopian ways technology can take over our lives. These (allegedly) fictional tales have themes that often hit a little too close to home. Watch this series and you’ll see why people are referring to it as the “Twilight Zone” for the modern age.
‘Westworld’
John P. Johnson/HBO
Where to watch: HBO Go
Episodes: 10
Time spent bingeing: 11 hours, 7 minutes
“Westworld” plays off of the often sci-fi-meets-western genre, but does so in a way that feels fresh and unique. In addition to all the grittiness we’ve come to expect from HBO original shows, “Westworld” gets an extra layer of eeriness thanks to the artificial humanoids that take center stage. Finish the series quick before you’re accidentally exposed to one of the many conspiracy theories on the internet, and soon you’ll be eagerly awaiting season 2.
‘Gilmore Girls’
Robert Voets/Netflix
Where to watch: Netflix
Episodes for 2016: 4
Time spent bingeing: 6 hours, 10 minutes
Like “Black Mirror,” Netflix picked up this early 2000s classic to extend its legacy. Instead of getting a fully-fledged extra season, the new “Gilmore Girls” takes the form of four mini-movies, with the familiar fast-talking characters fans have come to love with a fierce, and burning passion: Lorelei, Rory and many of Rory’s lovestruck exes. Will Luke and Lorelei grow their family? Will Rory settle on a life partner?
‘The Night Manager’
Des Willie/AMC
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Episodes: 6
Time spent bingeing: 5 hours, 58 minutes
If you’re looking for a gripping crime drama with some of your favorite British stars (like Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston), look no further than “The Night Manager.” When Jonathan Pine (Hiddleston) goes undercover to expose an arms dealer (Laurie), you’ll be praying he gets out alive — God forbid anything happens to Tom Hiddleston’s face.
‘High Maintenance’
Craig Blankenhorn/HBO
Where to watch: HBO Go
Episodes: 6
Time spent bingeing: 3 hours, 1 minute
If you’re in the mood for a comedy, “High Maintenance” is surprisingly low maintenance. The show explores the life of a weed delivery guy as he sells the herb in New York to some real characters. Each episode features a different storyline that peers into the lives of the dealer’s clientele. “High Maintenance” delivers a short, sweet slice of life without even giving the protagonists real names.
‘The Path’
Greg Lewis/Universal Television
Where to watch: Hulu
Episodes: 10
Time spent bingeing: 8 hours, 21 minutes
Eddie and his friends and family are all members of the same cult, but after a trip that was supposed to be spiritually fulfilling, he begins to question his beliefs. This Hulu original series borrows the talents of “Friday Night Lights‘” executive producer, as well as a lead role played by Aaron Paul (of “Breaking Bad” fame). The story is mysterious, suspenseful and deals with motifs like personal belief versus familial ideals. If you’ve always been fascinated by cults, this one’s for you.
